"The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle," Professor Dumbledore said. Professors Flitwick and McGonagall closed the doors into the hall. "I'm afraid that, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. I want the prefects to stand guard over the entrances to the hall and I am leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge. Any disturbance should be reported to me immediately. Send word with one of the ghosts."

Professor Dumbledore looked like he was going leave the hall, said, "Oh, yes, you'll be needing…" He casually waved his wand and the tables flew to the edges of the hall and stood themselves against the walls; another wave, and the floor was covered with hundreds of squashy purple sleeping bags.

"Sleep well," said Professor Dumbledore, closing the door behind him.

Hailey, Mandy, and Michael grabbed some sleeping bags before heading off to find Hermione and Ron.

They heard snippets of what happened, something about Sirius Black and a portrait.

They managed to find Hermione and Ron.

"Everyone into their sleeping bags!" Percy shouted. "Come on, now, no more talking! Lights out in ten minutes!"

"C'mon," Ron said to the three Ravenclaws and Hermione. Ron and Hermione seized two sleeping bags and dragged them into a corner.

Ron and Hermione told them what happened.

"Do you think Black's still in the castle?" Hermione whispered anxiously.

"Dumbledore obviously thinks he might be," said Ron.

"It's very lucky he picked tonight, you know," said Hermione as they got into their sleeping bags. "The one night we weren't in the towers…"

"I reckon he's lost track of time, being on the run," said Ron, "Didn't realize it was Halloween. Otherwise he'd have come bursting in here."

Hermione shuddered.

"How did he get in?" Terry Boot asked.

"Maybe he knows how to Apparate," said Susanna Fawcett, a Ravenclaw. "Just appear out of thin air, you know."

"Disguised himself, probably," said a fifth year Hufflepuff.

"He could've flown in," suggested Dean Thomas.

"Honestly, am I the only person who's ever bothered to read Hogwarts, A History?" said Hermione crossly to the other four.

"Probably," said Ron, "Why?"

"Because the castle's protected by more than walls, you know," said Hermione. "There are all sort of enchantments on it, to stop people entering by stealth. You can't just Apparate in here. And I'd like to see the disguise that could fool those dementors. They're guarding every single entrance to the grounds. They'd have seen him fly in too. And Filch knows all the secret passages; they'll have them covered…"

"The lights are going out now!" Percy shouted. "I want everyone in their sleeping bags and no more talking!"

The candles all went out at once. The only light now came from the silvery ghosts, who were drifting about talking seriously to the prefects, and the enchanted ceiling, which, like the sky outside, was scattered with stars.

"Why did Sirius go to Gryffindor?" Mandy whispered.

"He's mad, remember?" Michael whispered. "I wouldn't be surprised if he thinks that Hailey's in Gryffindor."

There was still some whispering filling the hall, Hailey felt as though she were sleeping outdoors in a light wind. She couldn't help but wonder why Sirius had tried to get inside Gryffindor tower. What would Sirius do? Hide in the shadows until she went into the common room for something and try to kill her then?

Once every hour, a teacher would reappear in the hall to check that everything was quiet. Around three in the morning, Professor Dumbledore came in. Hailey watched him look around for Percy, who had been prowling around, telling people off for talking.

Hailey pretended to be asleep as Dumbledore's footsteps drew nearer. "Any sign of him, Professor?" asked Percy in a whisper.

"No," Dumbledore answered, "All well here?"

Percy replied, "Everything under control, sir."

"Good. There's no point moving them all now." Dumbledore explained, "I've found a temporary guarding for the Gryffindor portrait hole. You'll be able to move them back tomorrow."

Percy asked, "And the Fat Lady, sir?"

"Hiding in a map of Argyllshire on the second floor," Dumbledore said. "Apparently she refused to let Black in without the password, so he attacked. She's still very distressed, but once she's calmed down, I'll have Mr Filch restore her."

Hailey heard the door of the hall creak open again, and more footsteps.

"Headmaster?" It was Snape. Hailey kept still, listening. "The whole of the third floor has been searched. He's not there. And Filch has done the dungeons; nothing there either."

"What about the Astronomy tower? Professor Trelawney's room? The Owlery?"

"All searched…" Snape responded.

"Very well, Severus. I didn't really expect Black to linger," said Dumbledore.

"Have you any theory as to how he got in, Professor?" asked Snape.

"Many, Severus, each of them as unlikely as the next," replied Dumbledore.

Hailey opened up her eyes slightly and squinted up to where they were standing. Dumbledore's back was to her, but she could see Percy's face, rapt with attention, and Snape's profiled, which seemed angry.

"You remember the conversation we had, Headmaster, before—ah the start of term?" said Snape, who barely opened his lips, as if he was trying to block Percy out of the conversation.

"I do, Severus," said Dumbledore, and it sounded like there was a hint of a warning in his voice.

Snape continued, "It seems—almost impossible—that black could have entered the school without inside help. I did express my concerns when you appointed—"

"I do not believe a single person inside would have helped Black enter it," said Dumbledore. "I said I would inform them when our search was complete."

"Didn't they want to help, sir?" said Percy.

"Oh yes," said Dumbledore coldly. "But I'm afraid no dementor will cross the threshold of this castle while I am headmaster."

Percy looked slightly abashed. Dumbledore left the hall, walking quickly and quietly. Snape stood for a moment, watching the headmaster with an expression of deep resentment on his face; then he too left.

Hailey glanced sideways at Mandy and Michael, both asleep. Mandy was drooling in her sleep and Michael was looking so, so handsome. She glanced at Ron and Hermione, both awake.

"What was that all about?" Ron mouthed to Hailey.

All Hailey could do was shrug in response.


For the next few days, the school was talking of nothing but Sirius Black. There were theories of how he entered the castle, which became wilder and wilder. Hannah Abbott, from Hufflepuff, in History of Magic, telling anyone who'd listen, that Black could turn into a flowering shrub. Eva had said that Sirius Black had swum through the Great Lake and entered through the doors, using stealthy skills to somehow get through the front doors. Michael told them that Eva was a fan of the James Bond movies.

Ron said that the Fat Lady's ripped canvas had been taken off the wall and replaced by Sir Cadogan and his fat grey pony. Apparently Sir Cadogan spent half his time challenging people to duels and the rest was thinking up ridiculously complicated passwords which was changed twice a day.

Hailey didn't have time to think much about the problems that the Gryffindors faced because she was positive that the teachers, found reasons to walk with Hailey down the corridors. Snape turned around the corners, every time they walked the corridor, although he looked at Hailey with hatred, when he did that. On top of the teachers, Percy walked with her, although Hailey suspected that Mrs Weasley told Percy to keep an eye on her.

To cap it all, Professor Flitwick summoned Hailey into his office, looking at her gravely, and Hailey was slightly worried if one of the Dursleys died. Professor Flitwick took a tin out of his desk drawer and opened it. He took out a cupcake with blue frosting and yellow sprinkles that Hailey suspected was supposed to symbolize the bronze on the Ravenclaw colours.

Hailey perked up; glad to see these dancing cupcakes that Robert Hilliard told them about, two years ago. Professor Flitwick pointed his wand at the cupcake and it tapped danced across the desk to Hailey.

Hailey smiled and grabbed it, "Thank you."

"Now, there's no point hiding it from you any longer, Potter," Professor Flitwick started, in a very serious voice. "I know this will come as a shock to you, but Sirius Black—"

"Is after me," finished Hailey, pulling the wrapper down on the cupcake. "I overheard Ron's dad telling Mrs Weasley. Mr Weasley works for the Ministry of Magic."

Professor Flitwick seemed slightly surprised, but covered it. "I see. Well, in that case, Potter, you'll understand why I don't think it's a good idea for you to be practicing Quidditch in the evenings. Out on the field with only your team members, it's very exposed—"

"Roger wants to train the new members," Hailey said, slightly angry. "And we've got our first match on Saturday!"

Professor Flitwick considered Hailey intently and Hailey hoped that he was considering Ravenclaw winning the House Cup. "Well…I'd like to see Ravenclaw win the Cup at last…but all the same, Potter…I'd be happier if a teacher were present. I'll ask Madam Hooch to oversee your training sessions."

Hailey smiled her lips blue from the cupcake frosting.


Roger had made the Ravenclaw Quidditch team gather around, because he told them that he had some unfortunate news. "Flint told me that we're going against Hufflepuff first. He said that their Seeker's arm is still injured."

"He's faking it," Hailey said. "There's nothing wrong with his arm."

"I think everyone knows that," Roger said. "They just can't prove it."

"That and he will have his dad try and fire the professors because they didn't believe him," Mandy said bitterly.

Roger looked at the blonde girl in slight surprise. He was probably wondering how long Mandy had been standing there. Roger continued, "I know that this is highly unexpected, especially since they have a new Seeker, Cedric Diggory—" Cho started giggling and Roger looked at Cho. "What?"

"He's that tall, good-looking one, right?" Cho asked.

"He's the one," Mandy said and the two started giggling again.

Hailey felt oddly confused, considering that she didn't know who Cedric Diggory was, although the last name sounded familiar to her. She just couldn't place where she heard it, though.


The weather worsened steadily as the first Quidditch match drew nearer. Undaunted, the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw teams were training harder than ever, however Ravenclaw was overseen by Madam Hooch instead. Roger Davies and Oliver Wood resumed their rivalry to get to the Quidditch pitch first.

The day before their first match, the winds reached howling point and the rain fell harder than ever. It was so dark inside the corridors and classrooms that extra torches and lanterns were lit.

Michael had muttered something that the weather would've been perfect for Halloween, as she glared at the Slytherin team who was looking very smug.

"Ah, if only my arm was feeling a bit better!" Malfoy sighed as the gale outside pounded the windows.

"If only your brain worked a bit better! Oh, wait, you don't have one!" Mandy snarled at Malfoy and stormed off before Malfoy can respond to that. Hailey followed after her blonde friend. Mandy started punching at the air. "He's asking for it! He's bloody asking for me to punch him in his smug little face! He's bloody asking for it!"

"Well, if you punch him, he'll have his dad fire your dad," Hailey said.

Mandy seemed to deflate, "I know. That doesn't mean that I won't think about punching him in stupid smug face."

In Mandy's anger, they somehow got turned around in the castle corridors. It took about ten minutes for them to get to their Defense Against the Dark Arts class.

They skidded to a halt outside the classroom door and Hailey pulled the door open. Hailey dashed inside and said, "Sorry we're late—" Mandy ran into Hailey, nearly sending the auburn girl sprawling to the floor, causing the Slytherins to snicker.

"This lesson began ten minutes ago, Potter and Brocklehurst, so I think we'll make it ten from Ravenclaw, each. Sit down."

Mandy hurried to a seat next to Michael, but Hailey didn't move.

Hailey asked, "We're Professor Lupin?"

"He says he is feeling too ill to teach today," said Snape with a twisted smile. "I believe I told you to sit down?"

"Nothing life-threatening," Snape said, looking as though he wished it were. "Five more points from Ravenclaw, and if I have to ask you to sit down again, it will be fifty."

Hailey walked to a desk and sat down next to Stephen Cornfoot, a little disgruntled at the fact that Mandy had to sit next to Michael. Although she wasn't sure why she was disgruntled over the fact, because Mandy could sit next to whoever she wanted.

Snape looked around at the class. "As I was saying before Potter and Brocklehurst interrupted, Professor Lupin has not left any record of the topics you have covered so far—"

"Please, sir, we've done boggarts, Red Caps, kappas, and grindylows," said Mandy quickly, "and we're just about to start—"

"Be quiet," said Snape coldly. "I did not ask for information. I was merely commenting on Professor Lupin's lack of organization."

Hailey thought that maybe Professor Snape had thrown out the record of what they covered out of spite and jealousy.

"He's the most competent Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher that we've ever had," Anthony Goldstein said.

"You are easily satisfied. Lupin is hardly overtaxing you—I would expect first years to be able to deal with Red Caps and grindylows. Today we shall discuss—" he flicked through the textbook to the very back chapter. "—werewolves."

Hailey was slightly confused and said to herself, "But we're due to start hinkypunks—"

"Miss Potter," said Snape in a voice of deadly calm. Hailey didn't realize she said it so loudly. "I was under the impression that I am teaching this lesson, not you. And I am telling you all to turn to page 394." There were snickers from the Slytherin side as Hailey got in trouble. He glanced around the class again. "All of you! Now!"

Hailey watched as Stephen grabbed his book and flipped it open. At least Snape didn't remove points from Ravenclaw for Hailey speaking out of turn. Hailey turned to the chapter. She read the chapter only once, which was two years ago.

"Which of you can tell me how we distinguish between the werewolf and the true wolf?" said Snape. Mandy's hand went in the air. Snape sneered, "Anyone but Brocklehurst."

"You asked if anyone knew and she knows," Terry Boot said.

"Someone whose father doesn't work for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures," Snape said.

Mandy's hand went down, much to the laughter of Malfoy, who promptly smothered it.

The Ravenclaws sat in stunned silence at that.

"Anyone?" Snape said and his twisted smile was back. "Are you telling me that Professor Lupin hasn't taught you the basic distinction between—"

"We told you," Anthony said, "we haven't got as far as werewolves yet."

"Silence!" snarled Snape. "Well, well, well. I never thought I'd meet a third-year class who wouldn't even recognize a werewolf when they saw one. I shall make a point informing Professor Dumbleedore how very behind you all are…"

Mandy's hand went in the air, but it was shaking. Hailey couldn't tell if it was from anger or if she was on the verge of crying out of frustration.

"This is the second time where I'm saying 'anyone but Brocklehurst'," Snape said coolly, "Five more points from Ravenclaw this time for being a know-it-all."

Mandy's hand went down and it sounded like the Slytherins started laughing, but were trying to cover it up. Hailey glared at Snape now and grabbed onto the edge of the desk to refrain from punching Snape in the face. Forget Malfoy, Snape was just asking to get punched in the face.

For the rest of the lesson, no one made a sound. They sat and made note on werewolves from the textbook, while Snape prowled up and down the rows of desks, examining the work they had been doing with Professor Lupin.

Snape had stopped at Mandy's desk and examined the parchment. "Very poorly explained…That is incorrect, the kappa is more commonly found in Mongolia…I expect the daughter of a man who works for the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Beasts to know that. Professor Lupin gave this eight out of ten? I wouldn't have given it three."

Hailey refrained from chucking a bottle of ink at Snape's head at that.

The bell finally rang at last and before Hailey can make a run for it, Professor Snape said, "You will each write an essay, to be handed in to me, on the ways you recognize and kill werewolves. I want two rolls of parchment on the subject, and I want them by Monday morning. It is time somebody took this class in hand."

Hailey, Mandy, and Michael left the room as quickly as possible, trying to get out of earshot.

"Snape's never been like this with any of our other Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, even if he did want the job," Hailey said. "Why's he got it in for Lupin? D'you think this is all because of Neville's boggart?"

'I don't know," said Mandy. "But I really hope Professor Lupin gets better soon…"

"I want to punch Snape in the throat," Michael said.

Hailey couldn't help but say sarcastically, "Now, now, sweetie, you know that we don't solve our problems with violence."

Eva who happened to be walking by, with a strawberry blonde, both stopped, and Eva looked at them oddly at that.

"Come on," the strawberry blonde said, grabbing Eva's arm and leading her away. Eva kept looking back at them oddly.

At lunch, the three Ravenclaws told Hermione and Ron what happened in class.

"Why couldn't Black have hidden in Snape's office, eh? He could have finished him off for us!" Ron said in a rage.

"He's a prat but he doesn't deserve that," Mandy said.


The next day, Hailey was awoken. She glanced at the window to see that it was still dark out. She rolled over and tried to get back to sleep, but she could hear the rumble of thunder, the rain hiding the castle walls, and the distant creaking of the trees to the Forbidden Forest. In a few hours, she was going to have to go out in the gale of the wind and play Quidditch in that type of weather. She tried to fall asleep, but she couldn't. She got up, put on her robes, and got dressed. She picked up her Nimbus Two Thousand, and walked quietly out of the dormitory.

When she got to the common room, the storm was even louder. Hailey wished that the storm would be called off, but she knew that it wouldn't. Quidditch matches weren't called off for silly things like thunderstorms. Hailey checked the time on her watch, to see that it was four in the morning.

Yesterday, before dinner, Cho had pointed out Cedric Diggory to Hailey, who was a fifth year and a lot bigger than Hailey expected. Seekers were usually light and speedy, but Diggory's weight would be an advantage, because he was less likely to be blown off course by a gust of wind.

She could always send in Cho, but the fourth year girl was likely to be blown off course, too. But that would make Hailey look like she just doesn't want to play in the storm, something that the Slytherins didn't want to do. She wasn't Malfoy and she certainly wasn't going to wimp out because of the storm. She was also sure that Malfoy would bully her even more if Cho took over Hailey's spot.

Hailey spent maybe ten minutes looking at the bookshelves that the common room had to see if there was anything Quidditch related. Instead of a book about Quidditch, she found a thick book titled Triwizard Tragedies. It had a muted colourful cover when she looked at it. She wasn't sure what a 'Triwizard' even was and what tragedies occurred. She went to sit at a table to read it. She opened to the first page to the preface.

The Triwizard Tournament was first created in 1294. The Tournament had taken place over the course of seven centuries. The tournament was discontinued in 1792 due to the high death toll of the champions.

Hailey gaped at the book from seeing the first three sentences. That was one way to open a book, that's for sure. She continued reading the book and only looked up when someone entered the common room. She turned to look and saw that it was Michael. She couldn't help but smile. "Where are you going?"

Michael blinked and looked at Hailey. "Hermione wanted me to meet up with her in the library."

Hailey frowned at that, wondering why the Gryffindor needed him. Maybe it was to work on Ancient Runes or something. She had to tell herself that Michael was his own person; he can meet up with whoever he wanted. "All right…"

"How long have you been sitting there?" Michael asked confused.

Hailey looked at her watch, "About two hours. I should probably go wait in the Great Hall." She added, "You probably shouldn't keep Hermione waiting." Was it just her, or did she sound bitter about it? Michael looked like he was going to say something, but decided not to.

The both of them left the common room together.

"What was that you were reading?" Michael asked.

"Something about Triwizard Tragedies," Hailey responded. "It's like this tournament that tests you on magical ability, intelligence, and courage. They discontinued it like two hundred years ago because people kept dying." She smiled, "There was this one incident where a cockatrice that the champions were supposed to capture went on a rampage and attacked three of the judges. The tournament was cancelled after that."

Michael snickered, and gave Hailey a one-armed hug before they went separate ways.

Hailey went inside the Great Hall and sat at the Ravenclaw table. She got a large bowl of porridge to eat. She started on some toast when the rest of the team showed up. The rain still hadn't let up.

"I think this will be a tough off," Roger said.

"Don't worry. We don't mind some rain," Grant Page, the fifth year Keeper said. Hailey wasn't so sure since Nicolas Chambers and John Bradley were looking pale.

It was considerably more than 'some rain'. Thee whole school turned out to watch the match as usual. Umbrellas ripped whipped out of some students' hands because of the ferocious winds. Before Hailey entered the locker room, she saw Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, laughing and pointing at her from under an enormous umbrella on their way to the stadium.

How hilarious that I have to play Quidditch in the rain. At least I'm not a wimp like Malfoy, Hailey thought, and went inside the locker room where they changed in their blue robes. They waited for Roger do to his usual pre-match pep talk, but it seemed like he decided not to. He beckoned them to follow him out onto the pitch.

The wind was so strong that Nicolas Chambers ended up staggering right into Hailey. If the crowd was cheering, they didn't hear it because of the thunder.

The Hufflepuffs were approaching from the opposite side of the field wearing carnary-yellow robes. The Captains walked up to each other and shook hands; Diggory smiled at Roger, who smiled in return. Hailey saw Madam Hooch mouth the words, "Mount your brooms." Hailey pulled her right foot out of the mud and swung it over her Nimbus Two Thousand. Madam Hooch put her whistle to her lips and gave it a blast that sounded oddly distant and they were off.

Hailey rose fast, but her Nimbus was swerving slightly with the wing. She held it as steady as she could and turned, squinting into the rain. Within five minutes, Hailey was soaked to the bone and freezing, hardly able to see her teammates, lets along the tiny Snitch. She flew backward and forward across the field past blurred blue and yellow shapes, with no idea what was happening in the rest of the game. She couldn't even hear the commentary because of the wind. Hailey almost got upseated by a Bludger because of the rain.

She lost track of time. It was getting harder and harder to hold her broom straight. The sky was getting darker, as if night decided to come early. Twice Hailey almost hit another played, unsure if they were an opponent or teammate because everyone the rain so thick, she could hardly tell them apart.

With the first flash of lightning came the sound of Madam Hooch's whistle; Hailey could see the outline of Roger through the thick rain gesturing her to the ground. The whole team splashed down into the mud.

"What's wrong?" Hailey asked confused.

"I called for a time-out," Roger said. "Come on, under here."

They huddled under the edge of the field under a large umbrella.

Hailey asked, "What's the score?"

"We're fifty points up," said Roger, "unless we get the Snitch, we'll be playing into the night."

"So, I'll have to find the Snitch quickly then?" Hailey responded.

"Yeah," Roger said. With that, the game resumed.

Mandy was trying to watch through a pair of binoculars. "I wonder what that was all about."

"Don't know," Michael said shrugging.

Eva appeared at Michael's elbow, looking a little pale. Then again, she was always a little pale looking. "I don't like this game. It's too…dangerous."

"I think that's what makes it exciting," Michael said.

Eva asked, "Aren't you worried that your girlfriend will get hurt?"

"Yeah," Michael responded and then he looked at Eva, "What?"

Mandy busted out laughing.

Eva looked at the game, "Your girlfriend? Aren't you worried she's going to get hurt?"

"Eva…for the past two years, something always happened to Hailey when she played the first Quidditch match. Trust me, we're all worried about her," Mandy said, before Michael can even say something. There was a flash of lightning and it looked liked Hailey got distracted by something, causing the broom to fall a few feet.

The cold came and Mandy looked around towards the ground, "Dementors!"

"What?" Eva and Michael shouted at the same time.

Mandy repeated, "Dementors!" She pointed and the two turned to look.

There was about a hundred of them were standing on the pitch, below the game. Their faces were pointed up at the game above.

There were gasps and shouts.

Mandy looked up to see that Hailey was now plummeting to the ground and covered her mouth in horror. Eva had her eyes closed, and hands pressed together. She was muttering something quickly. Michael had pressed his hands to his eyes, not wanting to see the death of his friends.

Dumbledore ran onto the field and waved his wand at Hailey. Hailey started to slow down and then she hit the ground. Dumbledore turned around and a silvery light hit the dementors, causing them to turn and return to the castle. Dumbledore said something, but Mandy couldn't hear what was said and Dumbledore conjured a stretcher. Dumbledore levitated Hailey's body onto the stretcher; however she was still floating above it.

Mandy couldn't move, she was shaking, but it wasn't from the rain. She was sure that she was crying.


"Lucky the ground was so soft."

"I thought she was dead for sure."

Hailey could hear the voices whispering, but they made no sense whatsoever. She didn't have a clue where she was, or how she'd go there, or what she'd been doing before she got there. All she knew was that every inch of her was aching as thought it had been beaten.

"That was the scariest thing I've ever seen in my life."

Scariest…the scariest thing…hooded black figures…cold...screaming…

Hailey's eyes snapped open. She was lying in the hospital wing. The Ravenclaw Quidditch team, spattered with mug from head to foot, was gathered around her bed. Ron, Hermione, Mandy, Michael, Fred and George were also there, looking as though they'd just climbed out of a swimming pool.

"Hailey!" said Fred, looking extremely white. "How're you feeling?"

It was as thought Hailey's memory was on fast forward. The lightning—the Grim sitting in the empty top row of the stands—the Snitch—and the dementors… "What happned?" she asked, sitting up so suddenly they all gasped.

"You fell off," said Fred. "Must've been—what—fifty feet?"

"We thought you'd died," said Ducan Inglebee.

Hermione made a small, squeaky noise. Hailey looked at her to see that her eyes were extremely bloodshot.

"But the match," said Hailey. "What happened? Are we doing a rematch?" There was no answer and Hailey got a terrible sinking feeling. "We…lost? Didn't we?"

"Diggory got the Snitch," said Jason Samuels, "Just after you fell. He didn't know what had happened. When he looked back and saw you on the ground, he tried to call it off. He wanted a rematch. But they won fair and square."

Roger, looking grim, even nodded.

Hailey put her face to her knees, grabbing at her hair. Fred grabbed Hailey's shoulder and shook it roughly. He said, "C'mon, Hailey, you've never missed the Snitch before."

"There had to be one time you didn't get it," said George.

Grant Page said, "We lost by a hundred points, right? So if Hufflepuff loses to Gryffindor, and we beat Gryffindor and Slytherin…"

"Hufflepuff has to lose by two hundred points," said Roger Davies.

Cho Chang said, "But if they beat Gryffindor…" She glanced at the four Gryffindors.

"No way, we're too good to lose to Hufflepuff. But if Slytherin loses against Slytherin…" George said.

Hailey sat there, not saying a word. They had lost…for the first time ever, she had lost a Quidditch match. She looked at Mandy and Michael. Michael was looking paler than usual and Mandy's eyes were bloodshot too.

After ten minutes or so, Madam Pomfrey came over to tell them to leave Hailey in peace.

"We'll come and see you later," Fred said to Hailey. "Don't beat yourself up, Hailey; you're still the best Seeker that Ravenclaw's ever had."

The Ravenclaw team, Fred, and George trooped out, trailing mud behind them. Madam Pomfrey shut the door behind them, looking disapproving.

Hermione and Ron explained what had happened after Hailey fell off the broom. Ron had trailed off, but Hailey hardly noticed. She was thinking about what the dementors had done to her…about the screaming voice.

"Not Hailey, not Hailey, please not Hailey!"

"Stand aside, you silly girl…stand aside, now…"

"Not Hailey, please no, take me, kill me instead—"

"Not Hailey! Please…have mercy…have mercy…"

Someone shook Hailey's shoulder, gently, and she noticed that it was Michael. He looked worried, "Are you okay?"

Hailey blinked and looked around. "Did someone get my Nimbus?"

The four looked at each other.

Mandy started, "Er—"

"What?" asked Hailey, looking at the four of them.

"Well…" Mandy started.

"When you fell off, it got blown away," finished Hermione hesitantly.

Hailey prompted, "And?"

Hermione started, "And it hit—it hit—"

"It hit the Whomping Willow," Michael finished.

Hailey's heart sped up. The Whomping Willow was a very violent tree that stood alone in the middle of the grounds. She dreaded the answer, "And?"

"Well, you know the Whomping Willow," said Ron. "It—it doesn't like being hit."

"Professor Flitwick brought it back just before you came around," said Hermione in a very small voice.

Mandy grabbed a bag at Hermione's feet, turned it upside on the bed, spilling out bits of splintered wood and twig. It was the only remains of Hailey's broomstick.


A/N: Okay, Michael saying that Sirius is mad and probably thought that Hailey was in Gryffindor is a reference to the books. Why Sirius went to Gryffindor first, will be explained in a later chapter.

I purposely left out the scene where Peeves was blowing into Harry's ear, because I thought that it would be disturbing if Peeves did that to Hailey, when she was sleeping in the girls' dorm and I'm pretty sure that the girls' dorm is enchanted to keep out male spirits/poltergeists. So, if Peeves were to blow into Hailey's ear, it has to be either in the hospital wing or if Hailey ever fell asleep in the common room for some reason.